Simon Weaver says 'lead weight' has been lifted from his shoulders as Harrogate Town win League Two survival fight

Good Friday’s 3-1 home win over Fleetwood moved the Sulphurites nine points clear of the League Two drop zone, and with just two rounds of fixtures remaining this term, there is no longer any possibility that they can be relegated.

In truth, Town have managed to keep a relatively healthy amount of daylight between themselves and the bottom two in recent months, and headed into their penultimate home match of the campaign knowing that they just had to better the result of 23rd-placed Carlisle United to guarantee their safety.

And, although they fell behind against the run of play in the 51st-minute, goals from Jasper Moon, Ellis Taylor and substitute Tom Cursons blew away any lingering fears of a return to non-league football.

For Weaver, the overriding emotion after the full-time whistle sounded was one of relief.

"It was like someone taking a lead weight off my shoulders for the first time in about seven months,” he said.

"We weren’t looking at Carlisle’s result, it was all about us winning today. But, I think that it will take a while for me to properly decompress and take it all in because when you’re in this job – it’s been 16 years now – you live and dream it and it is very hard to switch off.

"I need a bit of time to absorb the season and reflect on the season as a whole, but, since the turn of the year, the Barrow game, we have looked so different as a team – resilient and with a lot of quality.

"We are a dogged outfit now and far removed from December and the lads have displayed big character.”

Monday’s success over Fleetwood extended Town’s recent unbeaten run at home into a 10th match and lifted them one place in the League Two standings and into 19th position.

Elsewhere, rock-bottom Morecambe were relegated following their 3-1 home defeat to Salford, while Carlisle remain four points from safety after drawing 1-1 at fellow strugglers Accrington.